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FEELINGS JOURNAL

When Dawn passed away, people would tell me that I would feel better in time. I didn’t believe it because my pain was so intense and I missed her so much. As I continued on with counseling and coaching, I started to have more and more days with fewer crying spells, bad feelings, depression, etc. Then I started to have hope of someday feeling normal again. If I had kept a record of my feelings, I would have been able to notice my progress sooner. That's why I suggest writing a Feelings Journal.

If you so choose, periodically (daily, weekly-you decide) write down your feelings—good or bad—in a journal, and make sure you put a date on each journal entry. Also write down any progress you're making in life, or new/old activities you have started. This will be your personal self-therapy book. Writing down your feelings periodically will help you track your progress and see that you are feeling better for longer and longer periods of time, which means that you are recovering from your grief.

Writing down you feelings will help you "get it all out." Each time you express your negative feelings through writing, talking, tears, tantrums, etc., you are facing those feelings head-on. They lose their power against you and are replaced by feelings of relief and calmness.

Remember, you are still dealing with the death of your child, so you can still expect to have moments or days of depression, crying spells or being non-functional. This happened to me for quite a while during the first two years after losing Dawn. As I moved into the third year, the intensity of my bad feelings and depression tapered off, and the bad moments lasted for moments, not days. In time you will get there, too. Please share your feelings and progress on the Message Board.